Media Releases

Cost of Clutter

October 5, 2015

Canadian Businesses are wasting over $65,000 a year on clutter

Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) remind small businesses that clutter can be costly!

According to the Professional Organizers in Canada, more businesses in Canada are wasting money and time operating in a disorganized state. POC found 37% of working Canadians are likely to struggle with time management with 82% of those indicating that they are extremely disorganized.1 For some businesses, office clutter can cost well over $65,000.

"A disorganized office, employee or storage space is an insidious expense," says Marie Potter, Marketing Director of POC. "An employee wasting time going through papers, missing critical meetings due to unorganized schedules and taking time off due to stress can cost businesses tens of thousands of dollars."

To help small business make the most of the rest of the fiscal year, Professional Organizers in Canada are sharing how clutter can affect your business as well as tips to combat that clutter.

Disorganized Workplace

Employees average 19 minutes a day looking for items.2 So, if your average employee earns $125,000 per year including benefits, it costs the company $2,500 per employee annually — for a team of 10 that'’s a $25,000 in unnecessary expenses.Tip: Encourage your employees to take 10 minutes a week to organize their workspaces.

Increased Stress

91% of disorganized working Canadians feel disorganization negatively impacts their lives.3 Employees feel frustrated, stressed and unproductive when they can't find important information or items they need because of office clutter. Research shows clutter can raise levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.4Tip: Check in with your employees every quarter to ensure they feel the office space is well organized.

Missing deadlines

Time-management was the biggest struggle for Canadians, with 63% of individuals saying they were experiencing problems with their ability to efficiently manage time.5Tip: Have a time management lunch and learn. Encourage use of apps that allow for proper scheduling.

Wasted Square Footage for Office Space

The average price per square foot in Toronto is $34. If you have 100 square feet of clutter, you could be wasting $40,800 a year.6 On Bay Street this number can topple $82,000 a year — at that rate it could be out of sight, out of mind, and out of business.Tip: Evaluate how your square footage is being utilized twice a year. Implement a storage organization unit that works for your office space if needed.

Make getting organized a goal for employees and, if you need help, hire a professional. Ultimately this leaves your business to focus on what matters most. To find a Professional Organizer in your area, visit the POC website at www.organizersincanada.com

About POC

Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) is a national registered non-profit association that provides education, business development tools and a code of ethics for all types of organizers across Canada. Currently representing more than 500 Professional Organizers in more than 14 chapters nation-wide, POC's mandate is to provide a supportive environment for members to learn, share ideas, network, and exchange resources. POC also works to educate the public about the organizing industry and the benefits of working with a POC member.